What are the red flags of this scam?

An unsolicited text or email from 'Trademark Panel,' 'Trademark Advisor Canada,' or a generic-sounding IP firm claims another party has filed for your brand name — CIPO does not notify trademark holders by text or email about competing filings • The message arrives from multiple different phone numbers or a generic company name — legitimate trademark agents are registered professionals you can verify at cpata-cabamc.ca • You are given 24 hours or less to pay or 'permanently lose your rights' — no real Canadian trademark process works on a 24-hour ultimatum • The message uses your real business name, address, or trademark application details — these come from CIPO's public database, not from an official government source contacting you • Payment is demanded by wire transfer, PayPal, or a third-party portal — CIPO fees are paid only through the official CIPO website at ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf • The sender claims to be from CIPO or a government IP agency — CIPO communicates only in writing through mail and its official portal, never by text or cold call

What should I do if this happened to me?

Do not pay and do not call back. No legitimate trademark process requires payment within 24 hours to prevent an irreversible loss of rights • Verify your trademark status directly at the Canadian Trademarks Database (trademarks.ic.gc.ca) and the CIPO Trademarks Document Retrieval Service (TDRS) — all official notices appear there • If you have a trademark agent, contact them directly using contact details you already have — not any contact in the suspicious message • Verify any trademark professional's registration at cpata-cabamc.ca before engaging them • Report suspicious messages to CIPO at ipinfo@ised-isde.gc.ca with subject line 'IP scam', or call CIPO at 1-866-997-1936 • Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.

HIGH other Last reported: Sep 18, 2026 Share

A text or email from "Trademark Panel" warns another party is filing your trademark — pay now to block it

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. A text from "Trademark Panel" warns your trademark is being filed by another party and demands urgent payment to block it. CIPO never contacts trademark holders this way. The sender is a scammer using CIPO public records.

A text from "Trademark Panel" warns your trademark is being filed by another party and demands urgent payment to block it. CIPO never contacts trademark holders this way. The sender is a scammer using CIPO public records.

Also known as: trademark panel scam Canada, fake CIPO trademark notice Canada, trademark filing urgency scam Canada, IP scam Canada business owner, trademark advisor Canada scam text

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Do not pay and do not call back. No legitimate trademark process requires payment within 24 hours to prevent an irreversible loss of rights
2 Verify your trademark status directly at the Canadian Trademarks Database (trademarks.ic.gc.ca) and the CIPO Trademarks Document Retrieval Service (TDRS) — all official notices appear there
3 If you have a trademark agent, contact them directly using contact details you already have — not any contact in the suspicious message
4 Verify any trademark professional's registration at cpata-cabamc.ca before engaging them
5 Report suspicious messages to CIPO at [email protected] with subject line 'IP scam', or call CIPO at 1-866-997-1936
6 Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or call 1-888-495-8501.

Red flags

⚠ An unsolicited text or email from 'Trademark Panel,' 'Trademark Advisor Canada,' or a generic-sounding IP firm claims another party has filed for your brand name — CIPO does not notify trademark holders by text or email about competing filings
⚠ The message arrives from multiple different phone numbers or a generic company name — legitimate trademark agents are registered professionals you can verify at cpata-cabamc.ca
⚠ You are given 24 hours or less to pay or 'permanently lose your rights' — no real Canadian trademark process works on a 24-hour ultimatum
⚠ The message uses your real business name, address, or trademark application details — these come from CIPO's public database, not from an official government source contacting you
⚠ Payment is demanded by wire transfer, PayPal, or a third-party portal — CIPO fees are paid only through the official CIPO website at ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf
⚠ The sender claims to be from CIPO or a government IP agency — CIPO communicates only in writing through mail and its official portal, never by text or cold call

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources